Duquesne president outlines school finances - Anthony Meier, Duquesne Duke

In the wake of University-wide budget cuts and faculty hiring freezes, Duquesne President Charles J. Dougherty spoke about the University's financial standing Monday afternoon to an audience of about 600 faculty and staff members in the Power Center ballroom during the first town hall meeting of the year. Among other things, Dougherty announced that 70 Duquesne employees — 50 staff members and 20 faculty members — have currently accepted the voluntary buyout that the University began offering at the beginning of the spring semester. Employees have until the end of Fiscal 2012 to accept the buyout. Dougherty also addressed rumors circulating, especially among Facilities Management employees, that the administration is considering job outsourcing as a way to alleviate the University's financial problems during the question-and-answer portion of the meeting. The University will not outsource any positions within the next year, he said, but the administration is considering outsourcing as a logical option for the near future.